Ravenna teacher hopes to promote America's 250th birthday, celebrate Quaker Oats

The City of Ravenna will be blowing out many birthday candles over the next few years. The biggest party probably will be for its own 225th birthday this year.

Matthew Wunderle, a social studies teacher at Ravenna High School, said City Council has asked his students to help design a logo for the city's 225th anniversary celebration. The levy contest will be a contest, Wunderle said.

In turn, he’s seeking the city's help to celebrate two other anniversaries in the years ahead. In 2026, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

A year later, Quaker Oats, which got its start in Ravenna, will mark its 150th anniversary.

Wunderle said he is working to make Ravenna an "America 250-Ohio" designated city, and needs two representatives of Ravenna's local government to serve on his committee. The designation, he said, will allow the city to apply for grant funding for local celebrations of "Ohio originals" in Portage County.

Wunderle wants to file the application by late spring in hopes of being ahead of other Ohio cities’ grant pleas.

He said he and Kevin Grimm of Portage County Historical Society have discussed ways to celebrate Quaker Oats in 2027, such as getting in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest bowl of oatmeal or largest granola bar.

"Quaker Oats' current parent company is Pepsi," Wunderle said. "I have a feeling they have enough money that they could maybe bankroll that for their own advertising."

Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at 330-298-1139 or dsmith@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Ravenna teacher aiming to celebrate USA's 250th, Quaker Oats' 150th